Envelope-making machine



C. M. N EUNER.

ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED AUG-3. IQZQ.

1,41 1,369. Patented Apr. 4, 1922. E s $HEETS-SHEET 1.

o V 1/7 INVENTOR ATTORNEY c. M. NEUNER. ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGIS, I920.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- q I a N 3 E OIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR. cfa/wnw (In.

/iZM I I ATTORAEY c. M. NEUNER. ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED M .IG.3, 1920- 1,41 1,869. Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- INVENTORY.

A TTORNEY,

C. M. NEUNER.

ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-3. 1920.

1,41 1,369. Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

IN V EN TOR. 4 Lw%ce W3 y n H ATTOR EY CLARENCE M. NEUNER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ENVELGCPE-MAKING .MACHINE.

Application filed August 3, 1920.

- T all 1072 0 772. it may concern 'Be itknown that I. CLAnnNon M. NEUNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Envelope-Making Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an envelope machine adapted to make envelopes having windows so that the name and address on the enclosure can be seen through the transparency covering the window opening.

An object of the invention is to increase the percentage of perfect envelopes made by a machine of this type.

Another object is to increase the capacity of a machine of this type.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter. i

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention Figure 1 is a vertical midsection of an envelope machine embodying'the invention, the section being taken on line indicated by afl-w, Fig. 1, and portions of the machine being broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 1 is .a plan view of that portion of Fig. 1 below the line indicated by 1 1'-, Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged tragmental elevation of the plunge, magazine and transpmoney-translating mechanism from the right of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragment-a1 elevation mainly-in section on the irregular line indicated by an -41*. Fig. 1.

Fig. i is a plan view of the carrier partly in'section on line af -ar Fig. 3.

Fig. is a plan view of? Fig. 2, omitting the plunger. I

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on line indicated by a .m Fig. 3.

Figfo is a bottom ace view of the plunger.

Fig. (3 is an elevation "from the lett of Fig. 2. I

Fig. '7 is an enlarged elevation trom line a -a9, Fig. 2. portions being in section on said line.

. Fig. 8 is an elevation. partly in section on line indicated by in -r Fig. 7.

The drawings show mainly only those portions of the machine which embody the invention. certain necessary elements to the complete functioning of the machine not be ing shown and described for the reason that Specification of Letters Patent.

[ Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

Serial No. 400,986.

such elements are well understood in this art since the machine, apart from the features of the invention, is of a well known type. a

The frame of the machine is fragmentarily shown at 1 and mounted on the frame is a platen 2 which is accommodated in and adapted to move downwardly'from an orifice 3 in a table 4.

A carriage for moving the blank from which the envelope is to be made to position immediately over the platen 2 is indicated at 5 and is of any of the usual constructions and is shiitably mounted in the usual way on a support 6 which is bolted at 7 to the frame 1. I

Projecting downwardly from the support 6 are the usual spaced envelope-folding guides 8 arranged opposite to each other. The usual plunger rod is indicated at 9 and is operated by the usual mechanism, part of which is shown in the drawings. This mechanism need not be shown and described in detail herein since it is well understood as it is embodied in machines of this type already known in the art to which vention relates.

The lower end of the plunger rod is provided with an envelope-forming plunger 10 shown in cross section in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This plunger 10 just fits between the guides 8 when the plunger moves downwardly between said guides. The plunger 10 is in the form of a flat chambered member. the chamber being indicated at 11. The

bottom of the plunger 10 is indicated at 12 and is provided with a series of ports 13 opening in pairs into annularrecesses 1% formed in the bottom face of the plunger.

Connected with the plunger 10 and communicating with its chamber 11 is a vertically positioned tube 15 through which air may be exhausted from the charnber' 11 at a certain period in the cycle of operations of the machine. as-will beiurther described hereinafter. The tube 15 forms a portion of a conduit, of which the other portion is a flexible tube 16 that is connected by a nippic 17 to a duct 18 in one of a pair of standards if), 19 monnte l on the table t.

A carrier is provided to transfer transparencies from a magazine 20 to the plunger 10, said carrier being indicated in general by the character 21. The carrier '21 is in the form of a flat chambered member, the chamber being indicated at 22. The top this in shaft 29. The shaft 29 is journaled in bear-' ings 30, 31 mounted on the standards 19, 19', respectively. The cross member- 26 is provided with a duct 32 which communicates at its inner end with the chamber 22 1 and at its outer end with a duct in the arm 28. The duct 33 communicates in turn witha duct 34 formed in one end portion of the shaft 29. The shaft 29 is provided atthe end having the duct with a nipple 35 which communicates with the duct 34. The nipple 35 serves to connect the duct '34 with one end of a flexible tube 36, the other end of said tube being connected with a nipple 37 which communicates with a duct 38 formed in the standard 19 adjacent the duct 18.

Pivoted at 39 to the standard 19 is a valve 40 in the form of an L-shaped arm provided at one end with a port 41 adapted to selectively register with the ducts 18, 38 in the standard 19, the port 41 registering with the duct 18 when the valve 40 is in the position shown inFig. 7 of the drawings and the port 41 registering with the duct 38 when said valve is turned counter clockwise on its pivot. The valve 40 and standard having the ducts 18, 38 constitute.

valve means to govern the production of a partial vacuum in the tubes 16, 36. A. spring washer 99 holds the valve 40 inclose contact with the standard'19.

. Suitable means are provided. for oscillating the valve 40 and, in this instance, such means are constructed as follows: The lower end of the valve 40 is provided with a laterally extending hollow member 101 forming a ball and spring chamber 42 containing a ball-43 and a coil spring 44. The spring 44 presses at one end against the 1 ball 43 and has its other end seated against alug 45 inserted in the upper end of the hollow member 101 and closing the upper end of the chamber 42. The spring 44 holds the ball 43 in contact with the upper.

face of a reciprocating member 46, an upward projection 47 on the upper face of the reciprocating member forming spaced shoulders-48, 49 adapted to alternatively engage the ball 43. as the member 46 moves first to the left and then to the right in Fig. 7. It is clear that when the shoulder 48 engages the ball 43, because of the pressure of the spring 44 on said ball, the movement of the member 46 to the left will turn the valve 40 clockwise so as to causethe port 41 and duct 18 to register. Also when the shoulder 49 engages the ball by a ber 46 the valve 40 will be turned counterclockwise to cause registration of the port 41 and duct 38. Pins 50, 51 form stops to limit the clockwise and counter-clockwise movements respectively of the valve 40. The movement of the member 46 is greater than that of the valve '40 so as to permit the valve 40 to remain stationary at the extremities of its movement, that is to say, when the port 41 registers with the ports 18, 38.

The reciprocating member 46-rests at its forward end upon a grooved roller 52 which is rotatively mounted in a slot 53 in the valve 40, the member 46 working in the slot. I

The member 41, plug 45, spring 44, ball 43 and shoulders 48, 49. form a lost motion connection between the member 46 and valve 40. The rear end of the reciprocating member 46 is pivoted at 54 to an arm 55 which is fixed by a screw 56, or other suitable means, to a shaft 57. In this particular instance the shaft 57 corresponds to one of the shafts forming an element of a well known form of envelope making machine with which the invention may beincorporated so as to cooperate with the flap folding mechanism as will be morefully described hereinafter.

The shaft 57 also carries a cam 58 fixed set screw 59 or other suitable means to said shaft. Asthe shaft 57 rocks it causes the cam 58 to engage a follower in the form of a roller 60 mounted on the lower end of a lever 61 which is pivoted at 62 to a bracket 63 fastened by cap screws 64' to the under face of the table 4. The lever 61 is of the first class and is pivoted at 65 at its upper end to a link 66 which in turn is pivoted at 67 to a crank arm 68 fixed to a rock shaft 69, said shaft being journaled in bearings 70 mounted on the standards 19, 19, respectively. The shaft 69 is provided with a pair of spaced arms 71, the free ends of which are positioned beneath and in engagement with a cross member 72 having its opposite ends engaging vertical ways 73 in the standards 19, 19'. To the outer ends of the cross member 72 are fastened springs 74, respectively, which are also fastened to the standards 19, 19', "respectively, said springs tending to'pull the cross member 72 downwardly and yielding when the arms 71 are moved upwardly.

On the member 72 is mounted the magazine 20, hereinbefore referred to, and thus said magazine is vertically shiftable, rocking of the shaft 69 causing up and down box, there being inwardly projecting lugs 76 around the inside of the bottom edge of the box to releasably support the pack of transparencies.

The shaft 29 is rocked by a crank arm 77 which is fixed to said shaft. The arm 77 is pivoted at 78 to a link 79 which in turn is pivoted at 80 to :a crank arm 81 fixed to a rock shaft 82 that is journaled in bearings 100 formed in the standards 19, 19, respectively. The shaft '82 may correspond to the shaft forming an element of a well known type of envelope making machine. It is clear that rocking of the shaft 82 will produce oscillation of the carrier 21. In Fig. 6 the carrier is shown in position beneath the plunger 10, and if the shaft 82 be turned clockwiseit will translate the carrier from such position to positionbeneath the magazine 20.

In order that during the translating-movement of the carrier 21 said carrier remain in horizontal position or parallel with the bot tom face of the plunger 10 and lower edge of the magazine 20, a parallel motion connection is provided between the carrier 21 and the standard 19 constructed as follows: Projecting from one end of the carrier 21 is a pin 83 which pivotally connects the carrier to a link 84 that in turn is pivoted at 85 on the outer end of a stud 86 projecting from the inner face of the standard 19, the

stud 86 being hollow and the pivot 85 be ing in the form of a bolt or screw extending through the stud 86 and screwed into the standard 19. The arm 28 and link 8 1 are parallel with each other and the distance from the axis of the cross member 26 to the axis of the shaft 29 is equal to the distance from the axis of the pivot 85 to the axis of the pin 83. Also the axes of the member 26 and pin 83 011 the one hand and of the shaft 29 and pivot 85 on the other hand are in planes lying parallel to the plane of the carrier. Thus when the shaft 82 is rocked to translate the carrier 21, said carrier moves in an arc with its lower face parallel with the under face of the plunger.

A vertical rod 87 forms a portion of the mechanism operating the plunger rod 9, said mechanism being indicated in general by the character 88. The mechanism 88 for operating the plunger is of a type well understood in the art pertaining to this invention, there being a spring 89 connected with the rod 87 and with the frame 1 to tend to move the rod 87 downwardly. .The rod 87 is connected by a link 90 to an arm 91 which is pivoted at 92 to the frame 1. The arm 91 is provided with a follower in the form of a roller 93 which engages a cam 94 mounted on a shaft 95.

The platen 2 is provided with a port or ports 102,.each connected by a downwardly projecting nipple 103 to a suction tube or position.

tubes 101 which are connected to an air pump indlcated in general by the character 105. This a1r pump need not be illustrated and described in detail herein since it anay anism of the machine for properly timing 1 the suction in the tubes 10% relative-to the reciprocative movement of the plunger 10.

In the particular instance shown in the drawings the timing of the suction in the tubes 104 is provided for by the following construction:'The plunger rod of the pump 105 is indicated at 106 and is pivoted at 107 to' a lever. 108 which in turn is fulcrumed at 109 to the frame 1. The lever 108 is provided with a follower which, in this instance, is in the form of a roller 110 engaged by a cam 111 on the mainoperating shaft 95 of the machine. This cam 111, when the shaft 95 is turned in the direction of thearrow a, Fig. 1, swings the lever 108 downwardly so as to move the pump plunger on its suction stroke to produce suction in the tubes 10a.

Fastened at one end to the lever 108 is a spring 112 which is fastened at its opposite end to the frame 1 so as to function to swing the lever 108 upwardly when the roller 110 is released from the high point of the cam 111. Consequently this spring 112 functions to retract the pump plunger in readiness for the succeeding suction stroke thereof. From this it is clear that for each cycle of the machine suction is produced in the tubes 104.

In practice, assuming that the magazine 20 is supplied with a pack of ='transparencies; that the port 41 is connected by a nipple 97 to a tube 98, fragmentarily shown in Figs. 1 and 3; that the tube 98 is connected with suitablemeans, not shown, for producing a partial vacuum; that the carrier 21 is positioned beneath the magazine 20; and that the valve 10 is positioned to cause registration of its port 41 with the duct 38, thersuctionor partial vacuum in the tube 98 will produce the same condition in the tube 36, ducts 82,- 33, 84 and chamber 22. The cam 58 operates to cause raising of the magazine 20 away from the carrier and, because of the partial vacuum in the carrier ports 25, the lowermost transparency in the magazine will be discharged upon the carrier while the magazine is being raised.

Then the cam 58 releases the lever 61 and allows the magazine to lower, and at this 1 time the shaft 82 is rocked to translate the carrier 21 with the transparency thereon to position directly beneath the plunger 10, which by this time has reached its uppermost These positions of the plunger and carrier are shown in FigsQl, 2, 8 and 6 of the drawings.

The timing of the strokes of the reciproeating member 46 relative to the plunger op crating mechanism and other moving parts of the machine is such that, as soon as the carrier 21 reaches position beneath the plunger, the shoulder 48 engages the ball 43 and moves the valve 40 from the position noted above to a position in which the port 41 registers with the duct 18, thus causing the production of a partial vacuum in the conduit 15, 16 and plunger chamber 11. This partial vacuum is applied to the upper surface of the transparency on the carrier through the plunger ports 13 to hold the transparency flat against the under face of the plunger. Meanwhile the envelope blank, indicated at b, Fig. 1, which has been previously provided with a window opening a in the-usual manner, or otherwise, receives around the marginal portion of the window opening adhesive from the usual adhesiveapplying member 96 in a manner well understood in r this art, and, while the carrier is approaching the inner end of its inner movement, the carriage 5 starts to carry the blank over the platen 2, the plunger 10 being up.

Then the carrier 21 is returned tion beneath the magazine 20, due to appropriate operation of the shaft 82. While the carrier thus returns the carriage 5 moves beneath the plunger to place the envelope blank between the plunger and the platen.

The plunger 19 then moves downwardly, carrying the envelope blank with it toward the platen 2, the guides 8 functioning to fold opposite portions of the envelope blank toward. one another, in a manner well under stood in this art. The plunger presses the transparency upon the adhesive-supplied margin of the blank and as the plunger reaches the lower end of its stroke the reciprocating member 46 is operated to move the valve 40 into position to open the port 18 and thus break the partial vacuum in. the plunger chamber 11, thus freeing the transparency from the plunger.

About the time that the plunger comes adjacent the platen 2 the plunger rod 106 is operated on its suction stroke by rotation of the cam 111, thus to hold the transparency on the platen. \Vhile the transparency is thus held by partial vacuum at the under surface thereof, the plunger makes its upstroke, and when the plunger reaches its uppermost position it is ready to receive another transparency from the carrier, which meanwhile has been supplied with a second transparency from the magazine in the same manner as hereinbefore described. A subsequent folding operation of the machine, performed by mechanism not shown nor described herein, but well understood in this art, presses the transparency, which has been to posiapplied to the blank, firmly down in place upon the blank so as to cause it to adhere securely to the envelope. The pump plunger is then operated on its return stroke to break the partial vacuum in the tubes 104. As the plunger 19 moves upwardly, the platen 2 moves downwardly, in a manner well understood in this art, to discharge the finished envelope from the platen.

By the construction hereinbefore described, a smaller number of window envelopes is spoiled in the making thereof than by the use of machines at. present in use for making this type. of envelo e. c

It will be clear from the fbregoing that an envelope making machine embodying the invention may be built as an entirety atthe factory, or that the invention may be built as an attachment capable of being assembled with a type of machine at present in use and adapted to make ordinary envelopes not having windows. 7 v

I claim: j

1. In an envelope making machine, the combination with the platen thereof provided with a port in its upper face, of a blank-folding member above the platen having a port in its bottom face, means to operate the blank folding member, a magazine to hold transparencies, a carrier having a port in its upper face, meansvto move the carrier with its port face uppermost from position beneath the magazine to position beneath the plunger and return, and means to produce a partial vacuum sequentially in the ports of the carrier and blank-folding member and platen respectively.

2. In an envelope making machine, the combination with the platen thereof provided with a port in its upper face, of a blank-folding member above the platen having a port in its bottom face, means to operate the blank-folding member, a magazine to hold transparencies, means to raise and lower the magazine, a carrier having a port in its upper face, means to move the carrier from position beneath the'magazine to position beneath the plunger and return, and means to produce a partial vacuum sequentially in the ports of the carrier and blankfolding member and platen respectively.

3. In an envelope making machine, the combination with the blank-folding means thereof, of a magazine to hold transparencies, a carrier having a port, means to produce a partial vacuum at predetermined intervals in said port, means to move the carrier from position adjacent the magazine to position adjacent the blank-folding means, and means to move the magazine toward and from the carrier. a

1. In an envelope machine, the combination with the plunger thereof, of a magazine positioned adjacent to and parallel with the plunger, a carrier having a port in its upper face, means to move the carrier with its upper face horizontal from position beneath the magazine to position beneath the plunger, and means to produce a partial vacuum in the port.

- In an envelope machine, the combination with the plunger thereof, of a magazine adapted to hold transparencies, a car rier having a port in its upper face, means to move the carrier With its face horizontal from position beneath the magazine to position beneath the plunger, means to produce a partial vacuum in the port at intervals, and means to raise the magazine from the carrier before the carrier begins its movement away from the magazine.

('3. In an envelope machine, the combina tion with the plunger thereof, of a magazine adapted to hold transparencies, a movable carrier having a port adapted to lie adjacent the outermost transparency When the carrier is adjacent the magazine, means to move the carrier from position adjacent the magazine to position beneath the plunger, and means to move the magazine from the carrier before the carrier begins its movement away from the magazine. a

7. In an envelope making machine, the combination With the blank-folding means thereof, of a magazine to hold transpareneies,v means to receive a transparency from the magazine and carry it free from the blank to position Within the path of action of the blank-folding means, and means to move the magazine toward and from the transparency-carrying means.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 18thday of July, 1920.

CLARENCE M. NEUNER. lVitnesses:

Gnonen H. HILES, L. BELLE WEAVER, 

